Carton with cushion cover flap



March 17, 1959 L. D. VAN ANTWERPEN 2,877,942 cmron WITH CUSHION COVER FLAP Filed June 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LLOYD D.VAN ANTWERPEN ATTORNEYS March 17, 1959 L. D. VAN ANTWERPEN 2,877,942

United States Patent 2,877,942 CARTON WITH CUSHION COVER FLAP Lloyd D. Van Antwerpen, Milwaukee, Wis. Application June 18, 1956, Serial No. 591,930 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-14) This invention appertains to packaging and more particularly to shipping cartons for large sheets of glass, such as, the so-called panoramic or wrap-around windshields and the like, and the invention is an improvement over the cartons shown in my copending applications for patent, Serial No. 515,394, now Patent No. 2,812,855, and Serial No. 545,326, filed respectively on June 14, 1955, and November 7, 1955.

It is extremely desirable to relieve the end curved wings of wrap-around Windshields and the like from all unnecessary strains during shipping and in my previous applications I disclosed means for supporting and cushioning such wings. Due to the fact, that wrap-around windshields and like glass curve inwardly and downwardly toward the center from the wings, such central portion lies below the top of the box and is somewhat unsupported in spite of carefully designed packaging strips. This places undue strain on the curved wings.

One of the primary objects of my present invention is the provision of novel means for forming the cover of the carton so that the same can be bent to form an inwardly extending centrally disposed cushion bellows flap for resiliently engaging the central portion of the glass and its packaging strip for holding such strip in place and for supporting the central portion of the windshield and to prevent injury thereto from shock and strains.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of an inner cover for cartons embodying novel means for connection with folded shock absorbing end flaps for the curved wings of Windshields and the like and a novelly folded central portion defining a resilient bellows fold flap for engaging the central portion of a windshield, whereby all parts of the windshield will be efiectively Supported and protected against shocks and strains.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved carton showing the novel construction of the cover;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 and showing the inner cover in its folded condition;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the central portion of a carton in its completed, folded, sealed condition with a windshield therein and protected by a packaging strip, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Figure 2 but showing a slightly modified form of the inner cover flap.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter C generally indicates the improved carton. This carton can be, and preferably is -formed from the same type of blank as illustrated in my above-mentioned co-pending applications and hence this blank will not be described in detail, and the invention resides particularly in the novel formation of a cover flap, as will now be set forth. The carton C,

2,877,942 Patented Mar. 17, 1959 however, includes longitudinally extending parallel side walls Sand 6, end walls 7 and 8 and a bottom wall 9. The top of the box is closed by inner and outer covers 10 and 11 which are approximately of the same size as the top of the body of the carton.

The end walls 7 and 8 carry extensions 12, which are of the same type and character as the extensions shown in application Serial No. 515,394 now Patent Number 2,812,855. Hence, each extension 12 is folded on a transverse line 13 to provide a substantially V-shaped blocking and supporting member for the wings of a windshield. The free inner edges of the extensions 12 are slit to provide an inserting tongue 14 and side wings 15. With the box in a folded condition, the extensions extend into the box and the tongues 14 are inserted through transverse slots 16 formed in the inner cover 10. After this insertion the tongues 14 are folded back, as best shown in Figure 2 and the wings 15 extend under and engage the inner surface of the cover 10.

Now in accordance with my present invention the inner cover 10 at spaced points and adjacent to its opposite ends is provided with transversely extending slits 17. These slits divide the inner cover 10 into end sealing portions 18 and 19 and a central portion 20. In the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the slits 17 extend inwardly from the outer edge of the flap 10 short of the inner edge of the flap. The central portion 20 is creased and folded to provide a resilient cushioning bellows fold 21, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. To bring about the forming of the resilient bellows fold 21, the central body portion 20 of the cover flap is first bent inwardly and downwardly back on the cover on a longitudinally creased or scored line 22, after which the portion is folded intermediate its ends on a longitudinally extending scored or creased line 23. Thus, when the central portion 20 of the cover it) is folded back, the same is of a substantially Z-shape in cross-section.

This resilient bellows fold 21 (see Figure 3) engages a packaging and holding strip 24 placed around the edge of a windshield W-placed in the carton, and this fold 21 takes up the space between the cover and the central portion of the windshield and provides an effective resilient support therefor and assures the holding of the packaging strip 24 in proper place on the windshield.

If desired, as shown in Figure 4, the slits 17 can extend all the way across the cover 10 so as to actually divide the cover into three independent parts which can be manipulated independently of one another. While I have shown the outer cover 11 smooth and uninterrupted, it is to be understood that this cover can be slit, slotted and creased the same as the inner cover 10, and in actual practice this might occur due to the arrangement of the slitting and creasing mechanism relative to the blank.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

A shipping carton for panoramic windshield of the type having curved end wings; comprising spaced parallel side walls, end walls and top and bottom walls, said top wall including inner and outer covers, said inner cover being slitted transversely on spaced parallel lines defining end portions and a central body portion, inwardly directed V-shaped extensions on the end walls for engaging the wings of a windshield in the carton, tongues on said extensions and said end portions of the inner cover having slots for receiving said tongues, said central portion being folded inwardly on longitudinal lines defining a depending bellows fold for engaging an intermediate portion of a windshield.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Tinsley Jan. 6, 1931 Boeye Dec. 15, 1931 5 Best Jan. 9, 1940 4 Schilling Oct. 1, 1940 Kuhlman June 11, 1946 Roso Nov. 9, 1954 Randles Aug. 2, 1955 Koester et a1. Feb. 14, 1956 

